Packing press lock



Nov. 8, 1960 E. H. BROOKS 2,959,120

PACKING PRESS LOCK Filed July 22, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I.

INVENTOR EUGENE H BROOKS 5%,, A zim w ATTORNEYS 1950 E. H. BROOKS I PACKING PRESS LOCK 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 22, 1955 FIG. 2

INVENTOR EUGENE H BROOKS %B;tn ATTORNEYS Nov. 8, 1960 E. H. BROOKS 2,959,120

PACKING PRESS LOCK Filed July 22, 1955 :5 Sheets-Sheet 5 FIG. 6 54/E a] v 46 wlllllm 2/ x. W A 40 F l G. 9 INVENTOR EUGENE H. BROOKS ATTORNEYS PACKING PRESS LOCK Filed July 22, 1955, Ser. No. 523,815

28 Claims. (Cl. 100-223) This invention relates to packing presses, such as used in cotton gins, and in particular to a packing press lock.

Packing presses are commonly employed to form bales of cotton or similar material. As usually constructed, they comprise two boxes rotatably mounted on a vertical shaft. The fiber to be packed is directed into one box and tramped therein, then when this box is filled, the boxes are rotated until the box thus filled is in alinement with a pressing means, such as a hydraulic ram. At the same time as the first box is rotated the second is rotated into position to receive the fibrous material. Thus the process of forming bales is rendered more continuous than it would be if one box fixed in position were provided. The rotation of the boxes, however, creates certain difliculties in construction, such as the rotating support means, etc.

One of the important considerations in using these rotating boxes is that the boxes must be in line with the means for directing the cotton therein and the ram during operation of these elements. Otherwise the equipment can be damaged. Therefore, locking devices have been provided for locking the boxes in proper position for the operation of the ram, etc. These locking devices comprise a latch and a keeper plate with the latch being retractable and preferably connected to the frame for supporting the boxes, and the plate being rotatable with the boxes. Usually a single latch is provided and the two keeper plates are mounted on the boxes at 180" from each other.

The boxes and their connected structure are heavy and have considerable inertia, and it is often diflicult to initiate their rotative movement. Further, they are quite apt to coast beyond the proper latched positions. As the boxes move into locked position the latch will drop into the keeper. Due to the inertia of the boxes many latches and keeper plates have been broken or severely damaged. The slightest misjudgment by the operators of the boxes can cause strain and breakage. An object of this invention is to provide a packing press latch construction which will not be damaged by over-travel of the boxes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packing press lock which is of simple construction, is easy to operate and does not occupy an excessive amount of space on the press.

A further object of the invention is to provide a packing press lock construction which is simple and which can be supplied at a reasonable cost.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a packing press lock construction which can be adapted to present packing presses without a considerable amount of modification thereof.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a portion of a packing press showing a latch constructed in accordance with the invention.

tates Patent Figure 2 is a top plan view taken along line 2-2 of Figure 1, with some elements broken away.

Figure 3 is a side elevational view partially in section of the apparatus seen in Figure 2, the view being taken on the plane 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an elevational view of a keeper plate.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view taken along line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view taken along line 7-7 of Figure 2.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of a lower portion of the pendulum apparatus seen in Figures 6 and 7.

Figure 9 is a view taken along line 9-9 of Figure 3.

Similar reference characters in the several views indicate similar parts.

Referring now particularly to the drawings:

A packing press comprises a pair of rotatably mounted boxes 10, 12, mounted on center post 14. The boxes rotate about the center post and can be rotated by power drive means such as seen at 15 in Figure l. The boxes are locked in packing position by means of lock mechanism 16 and plates 18 and 20. Mechanism 16 is preferably mounted on the frame 22, and the plates 18 and 20 are mounted in diagonally opposite positions on the boxes. Center post 15 is connected to frame 22 and thus the boxes 10 and 12 and plates 18 and 20 are rotatably connected to the frame. Platform 19 is usually at the floor level of the building in which the press is mounted and the lock apparatus is preferably at its level also. The lock apparatus includes an operating lever 24 which can be stepped on by an operator at the level of platform 19 on the adjacent floor.

Plates 18 are connected to flanges 26 mounted on platform 19 by means such as bolts 28. Each plate 18 has a central depression 30 defined by abutments 32, 34. The pla'e tapers downwardly and outwardly on opposite sides of depression 30, as seen at 36, 38, for a purpose set forth hereinafter. Latch 40 is adapted to be received in the depression 30.

A channel 42 forms a part of the frame 22 of the packing press, and a pair of plates 44 and 46 are attached to channel 42. Cover plate 48 is connected to the plates 44, 46, and forms a segment of a housing therewith. A pendul-um 52, which may be formed of sheet material, is pivotally connected to frame 22 preferably at a. point substantially above the plates 18 and 20. The pivotal axes of the pendulum and the pivotal axis of the boxes lie in a common plane which extends radially of the pivotal axis of the boxes. In the embodiment illustrated in the drawings the pendulum is pivoted on bolt 54. The pendulum has an enlarged lower end 56. Flanges 58 and 60 are connected to the enlarged lower end 56 and project outwardly therefrom. The enlarged lower end 56 may be formed of a plate and connected to the upper portion of the pendulum 57 in any suitable mannr. Webs 59, 59 and 61, 61 connect to the flanges 58, 60 and enlarged lower end 56.' These webs make a more rigid structure. Shaft 62 is pivotally mounted in flanges 58, 60.

Shaft 62 projects outwardly beyond plate 46 and curves upwardly alongside plate 46, as seen at 64. Plate 66 is welded or otherwise connected to shaft 62, and plate 66 and shaft 62 form the operating lever 24.

Latch 40 is fixedly connected to operating lever 24 and is received between the flanges 58 and 60. Tension spring 68 extends between operating lever 24 and channel 42, and serves to urge the latch in the direction indicated by arrow 70. In other words, in position to be retained in depression 30.

Shaft 62 extends through enlarged opening 72 in plate 46. Spring 74 is mounted on shaft 62 and urges the pendulum to the left, as viewed in Fig. 2 (to the right as viewed in Fig. 9), since it abuts against plate 46, as well as the pendulum (flange 58).

Stop plate 76 limits the movement of the pendulum under the influence of the spring.

The boxes are unlocked whenever it is necessary to rotate them. The unlocking is accomplished by the operator pressing his foot on the plate 66. This will withdraw latch 40 from plate 18 or 20 as the case may be. The boxes can then be rotated and the operators foot can be released from operating lever 24.

When one of the plates 18 or 20 reaches the latch as the boxes move into packing position, the latch will slide upwardly on the tapered surface 38, and when the latch is above the depression 30 it will drop in. If there has been a misjudgment on the part of the operator, and the boxes do not stop as the latch drops in, the over travel of the boxes will result in the latch striking abutment 32. With prior known devices this could cause considerable damage. However, with the lock constructed in accordance with the instant invention the pendulum 52 will pivot and spring 74 will absorb the shock. Further, the spring 74 will resiliently absorb the momentum of the boxes and return the boxes to their proper position for the reception of the material to be pressed and for the pressing operation. Figure 1 illustrates a tramper 78 and a ram 80 such as are found in cotton presses. The boxes must be in alinement with the tramper and ram for proper operation. Stop plate 76 can be set at the proper location to limit the return movement of the boxes under the infiuence of spring 74. It is possible for the boxes to run past the latching position without the latch dropping into the depression 30. If this occurs, it is then necessary to reverse the drive mechanism and drive the boxes back to the latching position. For this reason plates 18 and 20 are tapered so that when the boxes are driven in reverse the latch will slide upwardly on slopes 36 and drop into the depression 30 in the same manner as when the boxes are driven forwardly.

From the foregoing it is apparent that I have provided a lock construction which is not subject to the breakage or damage of the heretofore known constructions. With my lock inertia of the boxes is resiliently absorbed, yet the boxes will be locked in proper position.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention, it will be understood that variations in details of form may be made without departure from the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A packing press lock comprising, in combination, a keeper plate, a latch adapted to be removably engaged with said keeper plate, a shaft, said shaft being fixedly connected to said latch, said shaft being movable to move said latch into and out of engagement with said plate, a pendulum, said shaft being rotatably mounted in said pendulum, a frame, said frame comprising a first fixed portion and a second portion movable relative to said fixed portion, said pendulum being pivotally mounted on one of said frame portions for pivotal movement with respect to said plate about an axis transverse to the axis of said shaft, said keeper plate being connected to the other of said frame portions.

2. In a packing press, in combination, a fixed structure, a member rotatably mounted on said fixed structure for rotation about an axis, means for locking said member in a predetermined position of rotation comprising a lock mechanism, said lock mechanism including a keeper plate fixed to said rotatable member and having a latch receiving portion, a latch cooperable with said keeper plate and adapted to be received in said portion, said latch being pivotally mounted on said fixed structure for rotational movement about a second axis, said latch being movable about said second axis in an are lying in a plane parallel to said first axis, both of said axes lying in a common plane, and means for limiting rotation of said latch about said second axis.

3. In a packing press, in combination, boxes rotatable about a first axis, a lock mechanism for locking said boxes in a predetermined position comprising a plate attached to said rotatable boxes, a latch adapted to cooperate with said plate to lock said boxes in said position, said packing press including a fixed member, a pendulum-like member pivotally connected to said fixed member at a point spaced laterally of said plate and pivotal about an axis lying in a plane common to the plane of said first axis, said latch being mounted on said pendulum-like member, and means for limiting pivotal movement of said pendulum-like member about said second axis.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said pendulumlike member is pivotally connected to said fixed member at a point lying above said plate.

5. In a packing press having a frame and a box connected to said frame and rotatable about an axis, in combination, a latch plate connected to said box, a latch cooperable with said plate, a pendulum-like member pivotally connected to said frame, said pendulum-like member being pivotal about an axis in a plane extending radially with respect to the first named axis, said latch being movably mounted on said pendulum-like member and being movable into and out of engagement with said plate and means for limiting pivotal movement of said pendulum-like member about said second axis.

6. In a packing press having a frame, in combination, a rotatable box structure, a latch plate connected to said structure, a latch mechanism at a fixed location on said frame cooperable with said plate to lock said structure, said latch mechanism comprising a pendulum-like member pivotally connected to the frame of said press, an operating lever movably mounted on said pendulum-like member, a latch connected to said operating lever, said plate being rotatable with said boxes in an arc transverse of said latch adjacent the location of said latch, said pendulum-like member being movable tangentially to the said arc of movement of the said plate about an axis normal to said are, said axis lying in a plane radially positioned with respect to said arc, and means for limiting movement of said pendulum-like member about said axis.

7. In a packing press box having a box rotatable about an axis, in combination, a lock mechanism for locking said box in a predetermined position of rotation comprising a plate connected to said box, a latch, structure fixed with respect to said box, said latch being received in said plate when said box is in said position, said latch being pivotally connected to said structure and pivotal on an axis transverse to the first mentioned axis, means connected to said structure and to said latch for urging said latch to pivot about the second mentioned axis and to rotate said box about said first mentioned axis when said box is out of said position and said latch is received in said plate, and means for limiting pivotal movement of said latch about said second-mentioned axis.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein the first mentioned means comprises a resilient means.

9. The combination of claim 7 in which said second mentioned means is a stop connected to said structure and operable to limit the movement of said latch under the influence of said first mentioned means.

10. In a packing press, in combination, a rotatably mounted box rotatable about an axis, a lock means for locking said box in a predetermined position of rotation comprising a plate connected to said box, said plate being rotatable with said box in an arc like path, said lock means comprising a latch engageable with said plate for locking said box in said position, means movably mounting said latch on said structure for movement transversely of said axis in a plane parallel to a plane tangent to said path while said latch is in normal effective operational engagement with said plate and said structure, and means for limiting movement of said latch on said structure.

11. In a packing press, in combination, a member rotatable about an axis, means for locking said member in a predetermined position comprising a lock mechanism, said lock mechanism including a keeper plate fixed to said rotatable member and having a latch receiving portion, a latch cooperable with said keeper plate and adapted to be received in said portion, said latch being movably mounted on a member pivotally mounted on said press for pivotal movement about a second axis while said latch is engaged with said plate and for movement into and out of engagement with said plate by movement of said latch With respect to the latter member, said second axis extending transversely of said first mentioned axis and both of said axes lying in a common plane, and means for limiting movement of said latch about said second axis.

12. The combination of claim 11 including means connected to said press and said latch urging movement of said latch with respect to said second member and into engagement with said plate.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 including a resilient means connected to said latch and said press and normally urging movement of said latch with respect to said member and into engagement with said plate.

14. In combination, a packing press box, said box being rotatably supported for rotation about a first axis, means for locking said box in a predetermined position comprising a keeper plate connected to said box, a latch adapted to be lockingly engaged with said keeper plate to lock said box in said position, a structure fixed with respect to said box, said latch being pivotally connected to said structure for movement about a second axis, said first and second axis lying in a common plane, said box being pivotal about said first axis while said latch is received in said plate, and means connected to said structure and said latch urging pivotal movement of said box about said first axis while said latch is received in said plate, and means for limiting pivotal movement of said latch about said second axis.

15. The combination of claim 14 in which the second mentioned means comprises a resilient member.

16. The combination of claim 14 including said second mentioned means comprising resilient means, said resilient means urging pivotal movement of said latch about said second axis.

17. In a packing press, in combination, a pair of boxes, a frame, said boxes being rotatably connected to said frame, a locking mechanism for locking said boxes in a selected position, said mechanism comprising a plate connected to said boxes, a latch, said latch being adapted to be received in said plate to maintain said boxes in said P05111011, a pendulum-like member pivotally connected to :said frame for pivotal movement about an axis, a shaft, :said shaft being rotatably mounted in said pendulum-like member about an axis extending transversely with respect to the first mentioned axis, said latch being connected to said shaft, means for rotating said shaft with respect to said pendulum-like member to operate said latch, means bearing against said frame and against said pendulumlike member and urging said pendulum-like member to p1vot with respect to said frame, and means for limiting movement of said pendulum-like member about said axis.

18. The combination of claim 17 wherein the second named means comprises a resilient means.

19. The combination of claim 18 including said resilient means being supported on said shaft.

20. The combination of claim 17 wherein the last named means comprises a stop means connected to said frame, said stop means lying in the path of movement of said pendulum-like member, a spring urging said pendulum-like member toward said stop means, said stop means serving to limit the movement of said pendulumlike member under the influence of said spring.

21. In a packing press, in combination, a pair of boxes, a frame, said boxes being rotatably connected to said frame, a locking mechanism for locking said boxes in a selected position, said mechanism comprising a plate connected to said boxes, a latch, said latch being adapted to be received in said plate to maintain said boxes in said position, a pendulum-like member pivotally connected to said frame for pivotal movement about an axis, said pendulum-like member comprising a pair of spaced flanges, said latch being positioned between said flanges, a shaft extending through said flanges transversely with respect to said axis, said latch being connected to said shaft, said shaft being operable to move said latch into and out of engagement with said plate, means connected to said frame and bearing against one of said flanges and urging said pendulum-like member to pivot about its point of connection to said frame, and means for limiting the pivotal movement of said pendulum-like member.

22. The combination of claim 21 wherein the first named means is a resilient means.

23. The combination of claim 22 in which said shaft supports said resilient means.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the last named means comprises stop means limiting movement of said pendulum-like member under the influence of said resilient means.

25. In a packing press, in combination, a pair of boxes, a frame, said boxes being rotatably connected to said frame, a locking mechanism for locking said boxes in a selected position, said mechanism comprising a plate connected to said boxes, a latch, said latch being adapted to be received in said plate to maintain said boxes in said position, a pendulum-like member pivotally connected to said frame, a housing connected to said frame, said pendulum-like member having a portion received within said housing, a shaft mounted in said pendulum-like member within said housing, said latch being connected to said shaft, said shaft being operable to operate said latch, said shaft extending through an opening in said housing, means bearing against said housing and said pendulumlike member and urging said pendulum-like member to pivot, and means for limiting movement of said pendulumlike member.

26. The combination of claim 25 wherein the first named means is a resilient means.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 including said resilient means being supported on said shaft.

28. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the last named means comprises stop means mounted on said housing for limiting movement of said pendulum-like member under the influence of said resilient means.

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